The silence didn’t happen all at once. It was a gradual shedding, like layers of heavy clothing removed one by one. John parked the car on the verge, the engine ticking as it cooled, the last mechanical sound before the world shifted gears. He stepped out, his trainers sinking slightly into the damp earth, and … More RESET
The wooden planks of the pier felt warm under our feet, still holding the heat of the day. Annie’s hand was in mine, a comfortable, familiar weight as we walked. We didn’t speak much. There was no need. The sky was doing all the talking, a slow burn of orange and deep purple that bled across the … More A QUIET EVENING
The wind up here didn’t just blow, it gusted. Sweeping down across the patchwork fields, flattening the grass in waves before rushing up the slope to meet me. I shoved my hands deeper into my coat pockets, feeling the biting cold against my cheeks. It was the kind of cold that woke you up, sharp … More SURRENDER
The sun bled gold across the horizon, soaking the dry fields in a warmth that felt like it could last forever. It was a beautiful lie, and I was happy to believe it. I watched her from a few feet away, the light turning her dark hair to spun fire, her face hidden from me … More END OF SUMMER
The train slid through the bruised, late-afternoon light of the city suburbs. John sat by the window, but he wasn’t looking at the blur of brick walls and rooftops. He was looking at his own reflection, a faint, ghostly silhouette against the grimy glass. Outside, the world was solid and real. Inside, he felt translucent. … More IF NO ONE CALLS AND I DON’T SPEAK ALL DAY
They called her the Pine Wood Hag. Just a local ghost story, something to tell the younger kids to scare them. Liam, at seventeen, knew it was rubbish. Which is why, when his mates dared him to walk to the heart of the misty woods, he’d laughed and accepted. The bravado lasted until the sound … More THE DARE
The cold was the first thing I felt. It stole the breath from my lungs, a sharp, clean bite that climbed from my ankles to my chest. It was your idea, of course. To swim, in late autumn, when the beach was deserted and the sky was the colour of slate. You just laughed at … More AGAINST THE COLD
The morning had been going splendidly. My name is Cecil, and I was making excellent time across a particularly lush patch of moss. The agenda for the day was simple: investigate a rumour of a delectable patch of clover just beyond the fern grove. It was all very straightforward. Then I felt it. A single, … More THE LEAKY MUSHROOM
He watched her slowly pick up the coffee and take a sip before placing it back down on the saucer; his eyes never left her face. Bright light spilled through the coffee shop window, catching the fine, curly wisps of her hair, turning them the same shade of sun-bleached gold as the wheat fields in … More ANCHOR
Most people would have called the weather miserable. A damp, bone-chilling cold had settled over the city, and the sky was a uniform, pearly grey. To me, it was perfect. I’ve always loved the quiet melancholy of a day like this. The wet pavement reflecting the muted lights, the bare branches of the trees like … More THE YORKSHIRE PUDDING
Habitat for Heavy Hearts 